Editorial: Communication paramount for district leaders

Posted:
01/07/2014 10:58:45 PM MST

When voters in November chose to change the make-up of the Thompson School District Board of Education, they did so for many reasons. Some might have been concerned by student achievement data that show areas where improvements are needed. Others might have heard about college students from local schools who needed some catch-up work before they could pursue degrees. And frankly, some might have chosen the candidate whose message reached them when they decided to fill out their ballots.

As candidates, the newly elected board members talked about areas where troubling data had been observed, but they were pretty quiet on strategies they would pursue to effect change. Now that they are in office, that needs to change.

As the Dec. 18 meeting of the school board showed, there is a great amount of interest from parents, employees of the district and the general public about the actions board members might take to improve education in the community. Board members should welcome that interest -- to the point of considering whether a different venue is needed for meetings where public input will be taken and action is planned. The auditorium at Bill Reed or even Thompson Valley High School would offer enough seats so that constituents would not have to stand for hours or sit on the floor in front of the limited board room seating.

Many were there that night to hear the rationale for whether the board should hire an attorney to defend its interests -- an additional expense over the cost of legal representation for the district's employees and students. Board President Bob Kerrigan was right to pull it from the agenda -- and he was honest in saying the issue will come back. However, the board will do itself no favors if it brings the item back without having talked more about why such an action would be in students' best interests. Board members should be using this time to hold public meetings and outline their positions.

Unfortunately, at various points during the Dec. 18 meeting, decorum was lost in the process. Whether by cheers or jeers, the work of public policy is not advanced if speakers cannot make their points in front of a civil audience and board.

Educating the district's children is a difficult challenge, and conflicting views of how that challenge should be met are natural. Only through open and civil dialoguecan differing views be considered and then acted upon with trust -- even if there is not agreement -- about the future course of action.